Danang Sailor
nullius in verba
Here's another one you may not have heard:
In a court room in rural Oklahoma a man is on trial for murder, and there is strong evidence indicating guilt; however, there is no corpse, which would be the final thing needed to really seal his fate. In the defense's closing statement the lawyer, knowing that his client is guilty and that it looks like he'll probably be convicted, resorts to a clever trick.
"Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, I have a surprise for you all," the shyster says as he looks at his watch. "Within 1 minute, the person presumed dead in this case will walk into this courtroom, proving my client's innocence!" He turns and looks toward the courtroom door. The jury, somewhat stunned, follow his eyes and look too. A minute passes, but nothing happens.
Finally the lawyer says: "Actually, I made up the previous statement. But you all looked on with anticipation. I, therefore, put it to you that there is reasonable doubt in this case as to whether anyone was killed and insist that you return a verdict of not guilty."
The jury, still looking mildly stunned, retires to deliberate. But only a few minutes later, the jury returns and the foreman utters their verdict: Guilty!
"But how?" inquires the lawyer. "You must have had some doubt; I saw all of you stare at the door."
"Yes, we looked," admitted the foreman. "But we all noticed your client didn't."
In a court room in rural Oklahoma a man is on trial for murder, and there is strong evidence indicating guilt; however, there is no corpse, which would be the final thing needed to really seal his fate. In the defense's closing statement the lawyer, knowing that his client is guilty and that it looks like he'll probably be convicted, resorts to a clever trick.
"Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, I have a surprise for you all," the shyster says as he looks at his watch. "Within 1 minute, the person presumed dead in this case will walk into this courtroom, proving my client's innocence!" He turns and looks toward the courtroom door. The jury, somewhat stunned, follow his eyes and look too. A minute passes, but nothing happens.
Finally the lawyer says: "Actually, I made up the previous statement. But you all looked on with anticipation. I, therefore, put it to you that there is reasonable doubt in this case as to whether anyone was killed and insist that you return a verdict of not guilty."
The jury, still looking mildly stunned, retires to deliberate. But only a few minutes later, the jury returns and the foreman utters their verdict: Guilty!
"But how?" inquires the lawyer. "You must have had some doubt; I saw all of you stare at the door."
"Yes, we looked," admitted the foreman. "But we all noticed your client didn't."
